Anyone with a culinary-savvy grandmother has a good ‘ol baking trick up their sleeve. My grandmother taught me how to whip up a pound cake from store-bought chocolate cake mix, a pack of Jell-O pudding mix, and some sour cream, which apparently Jamie Lee Curtis also learned.
Our Italian Love Cake leans on another boxed cake mix hack, but adds even more flavor with a cheesecake-like ricotta filling and an airy chocolate pudding topping. No wonder it was our most popular recipe of 2025.
Get the recipe: Italian Love Cake
What Makes Italian Love Cake So Amazing
Let’s start with the ricotta filling: It’s light, airy, and cheesecake-esque. It also helps balance out the richness of the chocolate cake, which makes this dessert a happy middle ground for those who love chocolate and those who might not be as obsessed with it.
With the chocolate cake and the ricotta layer, there’s plenty going on — so you don’t really even need a frosting! But the two-ingredient topping is the perfect final touch. It’s fluffy, creamy, and just the right amount of sweet.
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Stylist: Rachel Perlmutter
How to Make Italian Love Cake
The stunning layers on this cake may lead you to believe this is a complicated recipe to follow, but appearances aren’t everything. You’ll start by preparing your boxed cake batter per the instructions on the box, but add a little instant espresso powder too. Then you will prepare that ricotta mixture, which really sets the cake apart, in a food processor to keep things super smooth and silky.
You’re then going to layer these two batters into your pan. While the cake bakes, the ricotta layer will sink to the bottom, and most of the cake batter rises to the top.
You do have to let this cake recipe cool entirely, which makes it one of our team’s favorite make-ahead desserts. While you’re waiting for things to cool down, it’s time to work on the pièce de résistance: a fluffy whipped topping made with instant chocolate pudding mix! Stir together the instant pudding with cold milk and then let it sit for a minute before folding in a container of thawed Cool Whip.
Spoon it over the chilled cake, making fun swoopy patterns with a spoon if you’re feeling fancy. Then get ready for all the compliments from friends and family. No one will ever guess it all started with a boxed cake mix.
Get the recipe: Italian Love Cake
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